Well, in Vancouver's Chinatown, there are many shops with both commercially
package tea, and loose leaf in jars. There are also two chain stores which
seem to be associated somehow. They both have green awnings and green
signs. One is Ten Ren, and the other is Ten Lee. They both have a lot of
packaged, and a lot of loose. There is a Ten Ren in NYC Chinatown as well.
I was in it last September. But even their stuff is only so good. Most of
the other shops with tea in Chinatown are Chinese herbalists, selling all
manner of herbs, dried whole snakes, mushrooms, scallops, etc. They have
mostly packaged tea but also maybe a few jars of lesser quality loose.

Heck, I'll meet someone there if you want and show you the shops. It's only
a few blocks worth.

My next tea mission will be to a shop in a largely Asian mall called
Metrotown, where they have some choice sow-mei. Better than the best I've
found in Chinatown.

Peter


"Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
om...
> Previous assertions made by others about VCBC said you can't even buy
> Chinese commercial packaged tea in Chinatown. I can walk down aisles
> in many stores with dozens and dozens of different brands with even
> more teas to choose from. I'm not talking about the urban areas with
> loose teas in jars. So if you can address the general availability of
> Chinese commercial teas in VCBC. In the Bay area you have to go to
> Oakland to find the selection and not SF.
>
> Jim
>
> "Peter" > wrote in message
>...
> > In Vancouver, Chinese
> > merchants have taken over the bottom level of what was supposed to be a
> > Gap-Banana Republic-Foot Locker style mall on the edge of Chinatown.
But
> > still, you don't find the best tea there. It's elsewhere.
> >
> > Peter
> >
> > "Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
> > om...
> > > You're the second person since I've been here to say the largest
> > > ethnic population outside of China is a lousy place to buy Chinese
> > > teas.